412 . THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



Smith states that the only Somerset specimens he knew of had occurred 

 on inland sheets of water. 



In Poole Harbour, on the Dorset coast, little flocks of eight or ten have 

 been seen as late as May by Mr. Pike in full breeding-dress, who informed 

 Mr. Mansel-Pleydell that " East Looe, a boat-channel in Poole Harbour 

 close to the main beach, is a favourite fishing-ground of these Divers, and 

 in 1883 hardly a day passed from October to March without one or two 

 being visible in it" (M.-P., ' Eirds of Dorset,' p. 119). On the Cornish 

 coast the Great Northern Diver is common in the winter, coming into the 

 bays after the schools of herrings, as many as twelve having been seen in 

 one day off Mevagissey, and Mr. E-odd thought it was increasing in numbers 

 annually. He had occasionally received examples obtained in October in 

 the full adult dress. It is a question whether the old birds when they have 

 once assumed the full plumage lose it again, as so many have been seen and 

 have been shot in the winter months which still retained it. At any rate 

 the changes they undergo in the autumn moult appear to be but slight, 

 and are rapidly effected. 



The Great Northern Diver breeds in Iceland, Greenland, &c., selecting 

 small islands on the edges of lochs, where it makes a nest of dead herbage 

 and lays two large olive-brown eggs, with a few black or dark brown 

 spots. 



Black-throated Diver. Colymhus arcUcus, Linn. 



A casual visitor, of rather rare occurrence, from October to March in 

 Plymouth Sound, Kingsbridge estuary, Torbay, and the estuary of the 

 Taw. The specimens met with are nearly always immature birds. 



Although this beautiful Diver nests by some of the lochs in the north of 

 Scotland, and in Sutherlandshire is stated to be even more common than 

 the Ked-throated Diver, it is not so numerous a species as the preceding, 

 and but few are to be noticed in the autumn and winter on our Devon 

 waters, while an example in the full breeding-plumage is extremely rare. 

 Immature birds have occurred a few times to ourselves on the Taw, on 

 which river we have never known one to have been shot in the adult 

 dress. As might be expected, this Diver is more often seen and obtained 

 on the finer waters of the south of the county. 



" Drew bad a specimen of this bird to prepare a few years since, which was shot on 

 the Tamar" (E. M., Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837). One in full plumage was shot on 

 Slaptou Ley by the late Mr. H. L. Toll, 8th November, 18(w, whicb is now in Sir 

 Lydstone Newman's collection (R. P. N., MS. Notes ; H. N., Zool. 18Gl>, p. .527). One 

 January 18B7 at Plymouth (J. G., MS. Notes). One December 24th, 18()y, on tlieTaw 

 (G. F. M., Zool. 1872, p. 2929). One February 24th, 1875 ; another November 21st, 

 187() ; two Februjiry 4th, 1879 ; and one March 8th, 1881, at Plymouth (J. G., Zool. 

 1875, p. 4448 ; 1879, p. 2U7: 1882, p. 62). The Rev. J. C. Green, of Modbury, Ivy- 

 bridge, has informed us that he possesses an immature bird with white throat, which 

 was shot on the Erme in 1887. A fine specimen was shot October 2()th, 1889, 

 on the Kingsbridge estuary (E. A. S. E., MS. Notes), where Mr. R. P. Nicholls thinks 

 that immature birds are not uncommon. 



